🔗 Share this article

Pursuing what would be just a fifth northern hemisphere clean sweep in their legendary past, the All Blacks have traveled to Europe at an interesting juncture.

Games against Ireland, Scotland, England and the Welsh team await Scott Robertson's side across the coming month but, beyond the opportunity to join the sides of previous successful tours in the annals of rugby, the games will be used as a measure to measure the improvement of the side under a head coach now well established from assuming control.

Present Difficulties

Questions over a absence of an clear playing identity, continuing controversies over team picks and leavings from the management team have all added to the perception that the best-known side in the game is currently one in a period of transition.

Most importantly, it is the decline in performances from a previous peak set between the World Cups of the last decade that has led some to speculate that we have moved out of the period of All Black exceptionalism.

Past Performance

Before their travel for the northern hemisphere, it was announced that in the coming year, in the non-existence of the southern hemisphere competition, New Zealand will play the Springboks in a warm-weather tour termed 'a tour like no other'.

In the past the game's two strongest sides, there is little doubt over who has currently outperformed of what promoters have described 'The Ultimate Contest'.

During the last decade, the Springboks have secured a couple of World Cups, three Rugby Championships and a series against the northern hemisphere selection to be considered as the side of their era.

New Zealand have persisted to overcome Ireland when it is crucial, beating their next challengers in the World Cup quarter finals of the past two tournaments. They have, additionally, lost just a couple of the recent encounters with England, have defeated Wales in every encounter since over sixty years ago and have never suffered defeat by the Scottish team.

Changing Dynamics

But the decline of their status as the sport's measure of excellence will continue to rankle.

Although the All Blacks excelled through the previous decade - achieving eighty-seven percent of their international games, as well as winning the global trophy on multiple times - the global tournament of 2019 can now be viewed as when the hierarchical structure moved in the global game.

New Zealand beat South Africa in their first game of the tournament in the host nation, but it was the Boks' who were finally victorious in Yokohama.

Since then, the All Blacks' success rate has fallen to seventy-one percent. South Africa themselves were defeated in ten of their subsequent fixtures but, from the beginning of last year, have achieved victory at a percentage (eighty-three percent) to match even the last great New Zealand team.

Direct Competition

Throughout the equivalent timeframe, the 'Boks have won the majority of the past fixtures between the sides, including victory in the 2023 World Cup final.

In claiming their most recent regional title, the Springboks administered a significant beating on the All Blacks thanks to overwhelming display in their home ground, a outcome which has ignited another wave of debate about the development of the team under Robertson.

Possibly most concerning for fans of the New Zealand team will be that, alongside their usual power, the Springboks' success has come with an offensive flair more commonly connected with their own side.

Style Evolution

At the time that the All Blacks were at the height of their abilities in previous eras, they were a ruthless counter-attacking unit able of dismantling opponents from every section of the field and at any point of the game.

Now, their attacking style is more ambiguous as their leader, who has awarded numerous first caps during his two years in control, tries to primarily create the basic core elements of a competitive squad.

It has previously announced that the backroom staff member responsible for scoring, their offensive coordinator, will exit the team after the upcoming matches, making him the second member of Robertson's ticket to exit after previous staff member walked away last year after just a handful of games.

Expectations vs Reality

It was not just Robertson's success, but his methodology, that was expected to translate from Crusaders when he took over after the 2023 World Cup but, as yet, each continue to be a continuous improvement.

Commercial Considerations

Following private equity firm the company invested capital in All Blacks in recent years, the subsequent announcement spoke of the "pursuit of international expansion" for the team.

That goal has maybe been more difficult by the shortage of a international celebrity. The current captain and the trio of Barrett brothers continue to be well-known figures in the rugby, but the spread of key individuals has become more diverse. The captain is the single All Black to win World Player of the Year in the past six seasons, in contrast to 10 in multiple seasons between 2005 and '07.

International Growth

Rather, efforts have been made to establish the New Zealand team into new territories.

The first leg of this European campaign brings the All Blacks not to the Irish capital but the American city, a comeback to the stadium where Ireland achieved a first ever victory in the fixture nine years ago.

Following the reduction of Covid-19 travel restrictions, the New Zealand team have furthermore